Sports

Platooning paying off for Florence; Huskies beat up on Trinidad Miners

Huskies' one-way players getting job done

By Brandon Hopper

hopperb@canoncitydailyrecord.com

Posted:
10/26/2013 06:00:00 PM MDT

Clayton Benesch makes a tackle during the Florence Huskies' football game against the Trinidad Miners on Friday at Palmer Field. The Huskies won 45-8. (Brandon Hopper / Daily Record)

Florence — The Huskies are different than most every other team in the state, especially in Class 2A.

Though the number of kids that go out for football aren't big, each player plays one side of the football. And the Huskies (7-2, 6-1) say it makes a big difference in so many different aspects.

The most noticeable, Florence's stamina is still high in the fourth quarter when the opponent is usually gasping for air, its best players usually on the field for every snap. It also allows for more repetitions during practice and a better understanding of what their teammates are going to do.

The Huskies' defense was certainly helped by it. The first-team defense allowed only 25 yards of offense on Friday in the team's 45-8 win against the Trinidad Miners (4-5, 4-3).

Jeremy Nelson during the Huskies' game against the Trinidad Miners on Friday at Palmer Field. The Huskies won 45-8. (Brandon Hopper/Daily Record)

Senior Clayton Benesch said that spending so much time with his fellow linebackers forms a stronger bond between them and creates a bigger sense of pride.

"We take pride in everything we do," Benesch said. "Just as our (defensive) coach (Tuffy) Lawson says, 'Do all the little things right and if you do all the little things right, you'll go far in the playoffs,' and that's what we're trying to do is go far."

The Huskies most likely would've had a shut out on Friday, but on the first play of action when the second-team defense was it, the Huskies were burnt on a 92-yard pass play. It's OK, though, because head coach Jeremy Nix would rather his junior varsity players learn from mistakes this year than make the same ones next year when they're starting on varsity.

"Anytime you can get your guys varsity level experience, the better you're going to be the next year," he said.

"Experience helps so much just getting the kids in there," linebacker Clayton Masar said. Masar got some reps during his sophomore year when the team won the state championship. "The tempo is so much quicker on varsity and me being able to play got me used to it, the faster paced, it being harder and the bigger kids."

Lawson said platooning players — having them only play one side of the ball — helps make in-game adjustments. The defense didn't have to make many on Friday, but they always meet after the first three drives of the game and then more if they need to. At one point this season, Masar was called on to play some offense, and that hurt not being able to coach him during the game, Lawson said.